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Romania
NATO Focuses in on China
The NATO alliance, holding a ministerial meeting in Bucharest this week, is engaging in its first dedicated talks on China. The U.S. Secretary of State recently characterized China's current military buildup as “rapid and opaque." Four NATO allies have stakes in the Indo-Pacific region, and the organization aims to anticipate what could happen there, what the alliance’s response should be, and what it means for European defense. Yesterday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned about the potential consequences of increasing economic dependency on China. Also this week, the U.S. military released a new report revealing China has doubled its number of far-reaching missiles capable of hitting the United States. The Pentagon also assessed China had launched approximately 135 ballistic missiles for testing and training in 2021, which was more than the rest of the world combined, excluding the use of ballistic missiles in conflict zones. China has refuted any claims of wrongdoing.
This map depicts the estimated range of Chinese missiles as of January 1, 2021. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Newsweek
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Bolivia-Chile
ICJ Gives No Judgment on Silala
Yesterday, the UN's top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), decided to not pronounce a judgment on Chile and Bolivia's dispute of the Silala River. The dispute was taken to the the ICJ in 2016, with Chile hoping to get equal rights to the river by having the ICJ designate Silala as an “international water course.” Rather, given that both countries seem to agree on Silala’s legal status as an international water, the ICJ urged the two countries to cooperate and share the resource. Chile and Bolivia’s fight over Silala dates back to 1999 when the Bolivian government claimed Silala was a Bolivian wetland, and therefore lacking characteristics of a river or an international water course. From Chile’s perspective, Silala crosses 5 miles (8 km) into Chile’s border, and is an essential resource for the country which has been experiencing 13 years of drought. The Bolivian government stated the controversy over the use of Silala River has now been concluded, and Bolivia will "exercise the rights it has over the waters of the Silala River."
This map depicts the location of Silala River that was disputed at the ICJ between Chile and Bolivia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The Economist
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Mars
A Celestial Show from Mars
Astronomers at all levels can enjoy a series of exciting movements by the Red Planet in the night sky these days. Since late October, Mars has been retrograde - appearing to move in an opposite direction in the sky from normal - due to an illusion caused by its position in relation to Earth in their respective orbits, and will continue to be retrograde through early January. Last night, Mars reached its closest distance from Earth at 50.61 million miles (81.45 million km) away, making it one of the brightest objects in the night sky to the naked eye and giving exciting views through telescopes. The highlight of Mars' movements will be on December 7-8, 2022 when an occultation will occur as the Moon will briefly block Mars. Depending on geographic location, Mars may disappear for a few minutes or up to an hour from parts of the Americas, Europe, and Northern Africa. Shortly following that at around 1:00am EST on December 8, Mars will reach opposition, with the sun, Earth, and Mars forming a straight line.
This map depicts the path that the Mars occultation will be visible from parts of the Americas, Europe, and Northern Africa. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: A recognizable landmark on many big-screen movies, where are these famous sheer vertical sea cliffs?
A: Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
The Cliffs of Moher are located in County Claire, Ireland, towering over the Atlantic Ocean. Rising about 700 feet (214 m) above sea level, the cliffs stretch about 5 miles (8 km) along the country's west coast, and are made up of sandstone and shale estimated to be some 300 million years old. From the top of the cliffs, on a clear day, one can view the Aran Islands, which are about 5 miles (8 km) west of the coast. Living within the crevices of the sheer walls, over 25 bird species call the Cliffs of Moher home. Aside from its scenic beauty, the Cliffs of Moher have earned a spot in Hollywood. Many big-screen titles have filmed scenes at the Cliffs, including Harry Potter, The Princess Bride, Star Wars Episode IX, and Into the West.
Source
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Q: Thanks to its ancient mud skyscrapers, what Middle Eastern city is known as the "Manhattan of the Desert?"
Stay tuned for the answer to today's question in Monday's DailyGeo.
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